Faith
by luvsmorganreid
Summary: Hotch and Emily and how they handle working together and being in a relationship. Warning: Contains HET.


Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Title: Faith  
Characters: Aaron Hotchner and Emily Prentiss  
Pairing: Hotch/Prentiss  
Rating/Warnings: PG. AU, Het.  
Summary: Hotch and Emily and how they handle working together and being in a relationship.  
A/N: Thanks to Judy for betaing and to anyone who reads and reviews.  
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds or anything you recognize. I make no money for writing this story.  
Words: 904 words without title and ending.

*Faith* Hotch/Prentiss One-Shot

In their line of work, finding the time to date or fall in love is difficult. A lot of time the spouse, partner, or boyfriend/girlfriend of the team members can't handle the separation that comes from having someone they love working for the BAU.

It takes time to get to know someone and even then, when you get to know that person it doesn't guarantee that they will be in the relationship for the long haul. It doesn't guarantee that they will be willing to put up with being separated for long periods of time.

What makes their relationship work is that Aaron and Emily knew what they were getting into when they started sleeping together. They work together, so both of them understand when the job grabs hold of a person and won't let go for anyone or anything, until the case is solved and the perpetrator brought to justice.

Their relationship is complicated at worst and beautiful at best, but neither of them is willing to give it up without a fight and anyone who knows them, knows that it's true. Aaron and Emily mean too much to each other for them to let go of each other without asking questions or raising hell.

They have faith in each other and in their relationship, that when things go bad or a case gets them down, they can talk to each other. Aaron knows that he can count on Emily to help him see the better side of things, when all he sees is cruelty and death and he doesn't know how to handle it.

Emily knows that Aaron will stay by her side for as long as she asks, and for that, she's grateful. She also knows that he would do anything and everything in his power to make sure that her life stays on track.

There have been too many times when a case has been too much, when something she saw made her terrified or pissed as hell. The fact that there are so many people in the world who like to hurt others, worries Emily more than she wants to admit.

There have been cases where there was torture, blood and death, and more than once Aaron has brought her back from the edge. She has done the same for him and will always be there for Aaron, as long as he wants.

They trust and love each other, even though they have never said the words aloud to each other. Both of them feel it, especially at night when they are lying in bed together after making love.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Aaron asked as he took a seat on the couch next to Emily. She had been fighting off the flu for two days and it had finally caught up with Emily and won.

Now the woman looked miserable that she had to miss work, to stay home and lounge around the house while she waited to feel better. Emily looked up as Aaron took a seat next to her. "I feel like crap. The only thing that makes missing work even remotely tolerable is the fact that you're missing work as well. I know it has got to be killing you, but yet here you are, taking the day off work to take care of me."

Aaron smiled and said, "I wouldn't be any use at work. I'd be too busy wondering how you are, if you're getting the rest and fluids you need to feel better. Basically, I'd be a nuisance to anyone and everyone and besides, I don't like the idea of you being alone in normal circumstances, much less when you're sick."

Emily nodded at Aaron's words. She grabbed the blanket that Aaron had draped over the couch earlier that morning and covered the two of them. After a few moments of silence following Aaron's words, Emily spoke. "I know that we don't talk about it, this thing between the two of us. Maybe we should. You mean a lot more to me than I thought you would."

Aaron nodded and wrapped an arm around Emily's waist. "I know that you have trouble saying it, so I'll say it first. I love you, Emily. I have for as long as I can remember. The earliest memory I have of you is meeting you and instantly knowing that even if we never got together, then at least we would be best friends. You mean the world to me and you know me better than even my brother does and that's saying something, considering Sean's all the family I had left until you and I started to get to know each other."

Emily remained silent for a moment and then said, "Aaron, I love you too. Now be quiet and let's just enjoy the next few days together. You and I both know that it's not often we get to take time off work, even when one of us is sick."

Aaron nodded once more and turned the TV on. As he flipped through the channels looking for a movie to watch, he knew that getting to know Emily and love her had been the right thing to do. The woman next to him was someone he could see himself spending the rest of his life with and he loved that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him as well.

The end.


End file.
